Development of composite membranes with irregular rod-like structure via atom transfer radical polymerization for efficient oil-water emulsion separation

作者:Cui, Jiuyun; Xie, Atian; Zhou, Shi; Liu, Siwei; Wang, Qianqian; Wu, Yilin; Meng, Minjia; Lang, Jihui; Zhou, Zhiping*; Yan, Yongsheng*
来源:Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2019, 533: 278-286.
DOI:10.1016/j.jcis.2018.08.055

摘要

Development of superhydrophilic, stable and cost-effective composite membranes for efficient oil-water emulsion separation is highly desirable. Herein, an irregular rod-like composite membrane was prepared through 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) modification, followed by acrylamide polymerization with atomic transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The as-prepared membrane exhibits superhydrophilicity/underwater superoleophobicity due to its irregular rod-like structure and poresinduced capillary actions. The composite membrane has demonstrated sufficient stability in acidic, alkaline and salty environments due to the polymerization of acrylamide. Moreover, the as-prepared composite membrane has effectively separated various oil-water emulsions and demonstrated high permeation and superior flux recovery. The present work demonstrates that the ATRP-assisted composite membrane is a promising material in a wide range of applications, such as industrial wastewater recovery and drinking water treatment.